Signature gathering



F. M.=KRUEGER SIGNATURE GATHERING Filed Feb. 16, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR: Kruegxr WW Mb? ATTORNEYS F. M. KRUEGER SIGNATURE GATHERING Filed Feb. 16, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR M- Kzwxger ball ATTORN EYS Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGNATURE GATHERING Application February 16, 1938, Serial No. 190,795

21 Claims.

This invention relates to signature gathering, namely the successive extracting of signatures from a series of stacks or supplies and assembling or grouping them to constitute signature groups, which are conveyed along parallel to the series of stacks as the'groups accumulate, with final delivery, preferably directly to means for uniting the signatures constituting each group; it being understood that while a signature is 10. usually a large sheet folded to the size of the finished book or pamphlet it may also consist of a single sheet, as of printed matter. The present invention comprises the novel method or system of signature gathering, including extraction 15 of signatures from stacks and assembling or grouping of them into pamphlets, and as well the mechanism or machine for performing these successive operations.

Gathering machines of the kind referred to are 20 useful in the manufacture of pamphlets or other books, the gathering or grouping of the signatures being performed, to be followed by the uniting of the successive groups into books. In this type of apparatus the successively extracted 25 signatures are usually grouped upon a receiving device, platform or table, having conveying means for causing progressive advance of the succession of groups, as they accumulate, preferably with continuous travel. In the manu- 30 facture of' pamphlets it is common, following the gathering operations, to staple together the signatures in each group, commonly referred to as the wire stitching of the pamphlets; and the illustrated embodiment of the invention shows 3.5 the signatures extracted and gathered in closed condition forming pamph ets adapted for side stitching, namely the driving of staples through from side to side adjacent to the back edge, as distinguished from the opening out of the signa- 40 tures before grouping, to receive central, axial or so-called saddle stitches.

The general object of the present invention is to afiord a signature gathering method and apparatus of improved efliciency, speed of opera- 45 tion and rate of output. A further object is to provide a compact signature gathering apparatus, occupying a minimum of floor space, and which will be reliable in operation and convenient of control and adjustment. Other and furro ther objects and advantages of the invention will be explained in the hereinafter following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof or will be manifest to those conversant with the subject. lhe invention consists in the novel 57, signature gathering method or system and the novel features of apparatus, combination, arrangement and construction herein illustrated or described.

By way of indication of the state of the prior art reference is made to the following instances. 5; Patent of Kleineberg No. 2,082,064 of June 1, 1937, illustrates a gathering machine wherein the signatures in each stack are disposed flatwise and therefore piled upon each other, means being provided to separate downwardly and then extract the lowermost signature from the stack, the signature then being conveyed around and downwardly by the extracting means and delivered with advancing motion, in fiatwise position, upon the receiving support on which the signature groups are accumulated asthey travel through the gatherer. In the application of Kleineberg et a1. Serial No. 158,684 filed August 12, 1937, the signatures are stacked in edgewise or substanti'ally upright position in each hopper, so'that the first or foremost signature is free f'rom'the full weight of the stack; the signatures being fed frontwar'dly to a stop wall or plate, and there being means to' separate away from the stack the upper edge'of the first signature for engagement'and extraction by an upward motion, each signature in this case being carried frontward'on the extracting drum, and being centrally opened by auxiliary means, and deposited saddlewise for reception upon a support or saddle along which the signature groups accumulate, for subsequent central or saddle stitching. Certain portions of the disclosures in these and similar instances of prior art may be referred to for appropriate details and refinements omitted *from the present application, in which are shown more or less diagrammatically the features of improvement constituting the present invention.

The gathering apparatus of this invention, like those in the prior instances mentioned, is

of the rotary'class, by which is meant that the extraction of signatures from the stack and their removal to or toward the conveying means is by a smooth and continuous rotary movement, by a rotary mechanism or drum, turning in a continuous manner, as distinguished from the former or intermittent type of gathering machine wherein swingable extracting arms and grippers had to be oscillated to and from the stack, restricting the speed and output of the machine. In the continuous or rotary class of gatherer the operation is thus rapid and smooth, and each of the signatures is delivered reliably to the continuously traveling conveyor by which the successive groups are moved along and carried out of the gatherer to a wire stitching or other binding, and perhaps covering, machine.

The present invention is characterized by the following among other features of improvement. Not only do the signatures stand edgewise in the stack, but with this invention they are caused to stand edgewise on the platform or plate along which the accumulating signatures travel, and the transfer of each edgewise or upright signature from the stack to the conveyor is by a.

lateral or sideways extraction, the signature being maintained edgewise and transferred around and so delivered to the conveyor, without any need of changing the posture of the signature from edgewise to fiatwise during any part of its handling. The extracting means is rotary, preferably in the form of a drum with grippers, and this operates about a substantially upright axis, engaging and gripping an upstanding or side edge of the first signature and pulling it out laterally for transfer and deposit as described. The transferring means or drum is so arranged that in releasing and delivering each signature to the conveyor it does so with a forward motion, in the direction of conveyor travel. The initial upright posture of the signatures is preferably slightly inclined to the vertical, and preferably the stop wall of the hopper, the axis of the drum, and the receiving platform of the conveyor are all substantially parallel, at a slant tilted somewhat from strict upright, the angle being preferably between about 15 and 30 from the vertical. Characteristic details for outfeeding the successive signatures from the hopper will be described, as well as a particular construction of transferring drum and the means which holds each signature thereto during transfer.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a signature gathering apparatus embodying the present invention and adapted to the gathering method hereof, this representing the top view looking downward at a slanting angle according to the arrow marked l in Fig. 2, and for convenience showing only a single signature box, hopper or stack, a complete series thereof to be understood.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on the crooked line 2-2 of Fig. 1, partly through the stack signatures in the hopper and partly through the revolution axis of the transferring drum.

Fig. 3 on an enlarged scale is a bottom view of a portion of the drum showing particularly the gripper and its operating mechanism.-

In Fig. 2 is shown the upper part of a frame H1 at the top of which are carried the hopper, transfer and conveying mechanisms. The hopper or signature box as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a fixed bottom plate ll attached to the frame, and at the front end a wall l2 against which the signatures S, stacked edgewise, bear frontwardly with light pressure, the bottom taking the weight of the stack. The wall 12 may consist of an assembly of vertical rollers and their mountings, to facilitate lateral extraction of the first or front signature as will be described.

The hopper bottom ll may be described as flatwise and the front wall as edgewise. Preferably the bottom is inclined somewhat from the horizontal, being shown about 25 and by fiatwise is meant that or other angle belwveen about 15 and 30, affording a frontward downslant. which assists in maintaining edgewise the signatures and feeding them frontward. The front wall I2 is preferably at about a right angle to the subsequent operations.

bottom and therefore tilted frontwardly from the vertical by 25 more or less. The signatures are at a corresponding degree of incline from the vertical, these inclines being preferably carried through the extracting, transferring and conveying mechanisms to be described.

Suitable means may be employed to feed frontwardly the stacked signatures as they are exhausted, and to hold them to the front wall, and there is illustratively shown a sliding or rolling .block or weight l3, which may be manually retracted for the insertion of further supplies of signatures. The signatures have a certain stiffnessor body, due to their folds, and are readily maintained edgewise in the stack and through Means for maintaining edgewise and feeding frontwardly the signatures may be on the principles as in said prior applica tion disclosed.

What may be called the upstanding right hand edges of the edgewise stacked signatures are maintained in proper line by a side wall I 4 constituting a guide and confining at that side the signatures in the hopper, that is, those behind the foremost one to be extracted, which may be outfed at that side. It will be noted in Fig. 1 that the front wall I2 is abridged near the extraction point or right hand edge, namely, to permit extraction and accommodate the extracting devices which, as stated, operate from the upright side edge of the stack rather than from above or below as in the prior constructions. It is believed to be new with this invention to stack the signature supply edgewise in a hopper or box, and extract the successive signatures laterally by their upright side edges, each signature to be pulled out in a substantially horizontal direction, and transferred or carried around to the conveying means, and there deposited in the process of building up the signature groups G.

For convenience the receiving plate or track I 5 and the conveying means will next be described. These devices are believed to be novel in that they receive and support the extracted and accumulating signatures in an edgewise rather than a flatwise position, that is, the weight of the accumulating group rests mainly on its lower edge, with some tilt from vertical. The preferred arrangement is best shown in Fig. 2 wherein the plate or track l5, running the full length of the gathering machine, is at a small angle, as 25", to the vertical. The signatures, accumulating as groups G, stand edgewise against the track l5, its incline preventing the signatures falling over backward out of conveying position. At their bottom edges the grouped signatures rest upon a longitudinal support, plate or track flange IE, also running the full length of the apparatus.

The conveying means may be of a conventional type, consisting of a traveling chain I! from which project signature pushing pins l8, properly spaced in accordance with the size of the signature being handled and the arrangement of the hoppers, in relation to the speed of travel of the conveyor. The described conveying means is characterized in that the successive pins 18, in front of which the signatures are accumulated, project laterally or rearwardly to cooperate with the edgewise disposed signature groups, rather than projecting upwardly for conveying groups lying fiatwise.

Supplementing the described receiving and conveying means for the signature groups is indicated a series of fixed longitudinal guides or plates l9, set edgewise and spaced rearwardly 70m the track l5 so as to form a guide channel or raceway between them. Such channel however is interrupted, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, by spacing between the successive guides l9, namely, at the points where the successive signatures, transferred from the successive hoppers, are delivered to the conveyor. In effect the several plates it constitute a long raceway guide facing the track 15, but with entrance openings for the successive signatures. The guides I9 must clear the traveling conveyor pins I8, either by allowing the pins to project through slots in the guides or by spacing the guides as shown far enough away for the clearance.

By this invention the signatures always stand edgewise, being stacked that way, transferred. that way, delivered to the conveyor that way, the signature groups traveling along edgewise, and coming out of the gatherer at the far end for edgewise feed to the usual wire stitching or other binding mechanism.

Having described the stack holder and the conveyor, the intermediate outfeeding, extracting, transferring and delivering means willbedescribed. Before each front signature is gripped and extracted it is preferably started on its outfeeding movement by means positioning it to be gripped for extraction. At the front wall i2 is shown a set of upright rollers 2t facilitating the lateral displacement of the front signature. The wall also contains a set of outfeeding or combing rollers 2|, two being shown but more being preferable. These are simply rollers somewhat larger than the others comprised in wall [2 and mounted ec- V centrically at their ends so that when driven they may deliver to the signature intermittent thrusts, or combing movements. These combing rolls 2| may be faced with tion against the front signature. When turned -z. in unison they promptly displace or work the front signature laterally so that its right edge will protrude from the hopper, by the well known combing action, which may also start outward the next one or two signatures.

For driving the combing rolls 2| I as having end extensions or axles 22, eccentrically located. The lower axle'of each combing roll is shown extended downwardly and is provided with a pinion 23, and these pinions are driven by a system of sprocket chains 24, for example .deriving motion from. a sprocket pinion on the drum shaft 32 to be described. By thus thrusting each front signature laterally somewhat out they are shown of the right side of the hopper it is placed in position to be gripped and bodily extracted- The drive 23-25 may be such as to give a rapid combing action for quick outfeed of signature.

The extracting means is shown in the form of a continuously rotary member or .drum 28 turning about an axis that is tilted from the vertical and is substantially parallel to the upstanding edges of the signatures in the hopper and in the conveyor. The drum 28 is shown constructed with a peripheral wall 29 and a bottom wall 30, the drum being shown of skeleton or hollow construction and open at its upper side. The bottom wall is formed with a central boss 3! by which the drum is mounted on the drum shaft 32 turning in a fixed elongated lower bearing 33 havmeans'to take the thrust or weight of the drum.

For drive, the tilted drum. shaft 32 carries a bevel gear 34 engaging with a bevel-gear 35 on a longitudinal main shaft 36 which extends below and operates the drums for all of the hoppers of the gatherer. for the main shaft The bearings rubber material to give fricmay be near the ends of the machine and at other convenient points, and are not shown. The main shaft may operate various cams for usual functions of gathering machine devices.

For the accommodation of the extracting grippers 31 the drum 28 is shown formed with peripheral apertures or slots 38, through which the grippers may extend from the interior when holding signatures. The illustrated drum is arranged for two opposite grippers 31, transferring two signatures in each rotation, but the principles of construction are the same as though there were only one gripper or more than two grippers. In addition to the peripheral gripper slots 38 the drum is formed with a group ports 39 arranged near each gripper slot, for extracting purposes to be described.

Referring further to the grippers 31, each of them is shown as a hooked or C-shape member mounted interiorly on a pivot shaft 4! having its bearing in the bottom wall 30 of the drum. Each gripper has a retracting spring 42 tending to withdraw it into interior or inoperative position. For operation of the gripper its shaft 4! is extended through the drum bottom wall to an exterior point where it carries a pinion t3. This pinion is engaged by a considerably larger exterior gear 44 mounted on a shaft 45 also turning in the wall 30 and extending below the drum wall. For the actuation of the larger gear it is provided with an outstanding stud and roll" 46, constituting a follower for cam operation.

The gripper operating cam acting on the studs or followers 45 is preferably a fixed cam 48. It is mounted on the frame below the drum by suitable brackets 41, and the drum shaft passes loosely through the cam. The peripheral edge of the fixed cam cooperates with the follower studs 46 of both of the grippers as thedrum. rotates. The contour of the cam is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. It has an eccentric portion or rise 48 near its high part, adapted to throw outwardly the follower, thereby turning the larger gear and causing a quick swing of the gripper from retracted to operative position, both positions being indicated in Fig. 1. Near the opposite or low part of the fixed cam, it is formed with a decline or drop 50, adapted to give a timed opening or release of the gripper. By these two quick motions, separated by long dwells as shown, each gripper, when passing the signature extracting point, is caused to swing around into position to grip the laterally protruding edge of the first or front signature, as the dotted lines Fig. 1 show, thereby holding it to the drum for immediate extraction from the hopper with the rotation of the drum, for later release and delivery.

It is desirable to provide a cushioning action in the gripping of the signatures and for this purpose the follower stud 48 is shown mounted, not directly on the gear 44, but on one end of a leveril swingable at its other end on the gear. When the cam. 48 operates against roller at to close and press the gripper upon the signature, this action is cushioned by the provision of a spring 52 which allows a resilient yielding of the lever 51. The spring is mounted by a bolt '53 ex tending from a block or lug 54, which block also serves as a stop determining the normal position to which the spring returns the cushioned lever 5|. By adjusting the spring this predetermines the maximum gripping pressure and avoids damaging the signatures.

The described extracting and transferring drum constitutes an illustrative means for removing of suction holes or each edgewise positioned signature laterally from the side of the hopper and delivering it edgewise to the signature-grouping conveyor. Instead of such a drum, extracting laterally each downwardly from the hopper each signature and delivering it therefrom at the same posture in a downward direction to the conveyor afiording continuous rotary action, advancing delivery and other advantages.

As an additional feeding of each signature from the hopper by the steady suction, as desired. The shoe 58 is preferably pressed into sliding engagement and fit with the drum rim, but does not partake of the The shoe is shown mounted slidingly by guide pins 6| upon a fixed carrier or arm 62 of radial disposition. A compression spring 63 between the parts 58 and 62 serves to maintain sufficiently close engagement with the drum rim such as the bracket 66 shown extending from the fixed member 5. The suction box may have a limited oscillation in the drum rim in coordination with the travel of the ports.

The operation has been indicated to some extent. The stacked signatures, with their folded back edges down, are held frontwardly against the stop wall l2, as by the device I 3, while the device 2! by rubbing or combing action maintains signature somewhat out of the hopper. As the reaches extracting position the the upstanding edge of the protruding signature, About the same time or slightly through ports frontwardly to bear frictionally against the drum sisting separating the front from the next signa- The first signature is thus readily extracted from the hopper by the drums rotatl. 7 around the periphery of the drum at the rear and front sides, and other or 10 sufficient for the drive of the belts. Each signature is thus carried the delivery point is thrust out bet take its place on the conveyor.

I claim:

means, and delivering them with longitudinal advancing movement to the conveying means to build up traveling signature groups.

3. In agathering machine a longitudinal series of hoppers for holding supplies of signatures, conveying means for supporting and advancing along a longitudinal path adjacent to the hopper series a succession of accumulating signature groups standing edgewise, and means for extracting successive signatures from each of the hoppers, transferring them to the conveying means unopened, and delivering them edgewise with longitudinal advancing movement to the conveying means to build up signature groups.

4 In a gathering machine a series of hoppers for holding supplies of signatures standing edgewise, each with a stop member or wall contacted by the first signature, conveying means for supporting and advancing along a path spaced from the hopper series a succession of accumulating signature groups standing edgewise, and means for extracting successive signatures laterally from each of the hoppers and transferring them edgewise and delivering them edgewise with advancing motion to the conveying means to build up traveling groups of unopened signatures.

5. In a gathering machine a series of hoppers for holding supplies of signatures standing edgewise, each with a stop member or wall contacted by the first signature, a side wall for guiding the side edges of the signatures, and means for pressing the signatures toward said stop wall, a conveyor comprising a track or plate for supporting and a traveling chain with pushers for advancing along a given path a succession of accumulating signature groups standing edgewise, and means for extracting successive signatures laterally from each of the hoppers and transferring them edgewise and delivering them edgewise with advancing motion to the conveyor to build up traveling groups of unopened signatures, said extracting, transferring and delivering means comprising a rotary drum, with a signature gripper adapted to grip and extract the first signature from the hopper by the rotation of the drum, and to transfer it toward the conveyor and by the release of the gripper to deliver the signature to the conveyor.

6. A machine as in claim 5 and wherein the hopper stop wall and the drum axis and the conveyor track all stand edgewise with slants from the vertical of between 15 and 30.

'7. A gathering machine as in claim 1 and wherein each hopper, and its extracting and delivering means, and the conveying means, are all arranged to hold the signatures edgewise with a tilt between about 15 and 30 from the vertical.

8. A gathering machine as in claim 5 and wherein the hopper stop wall, the transfer means or drum and the conveyor are all arranged to hold the signatures edgewise with a tilt between about 15 and 30 from the vertical.

9. A gathering machine as in claim 1 and wherein the conveying means comprises a track standing edgewise and slanted somewhat from the vertical and with a guide plate spaced parallel thereto to form a raceway for the advancing groups, said guide plate being interrupted for the reception of signatures from each hopper.

10. A gathering machine as in claim 5 and wherein the conveyor comprises an edgewise standing track or plate slanted somewhat from the vertical and with a guide plate spaced parallel therefrom to form therewith a raceway, interrupted'forithe reception of signatures from each hopper, I. w

A gathering machine as in claim 1 and wherein is a preliminary separating and outfeeding means'operable 'upon the foremost signature in. each hopper',*to position such signature for extraction.

12. A gathering machine as in claim 5 and wherein is a preliminary separating or outfeeding means to position the first signature for extraction.

13. A gathering machine as in claim. 4 and wherein is a preliminary separating or outfeeding means to position the first signature for extraction, comprising a combing device to shift the signature edgewise laterally from the supply, for extracting engagement of its upstanding side edge.

14-. In a gathering machine a series of hoppers for holding supplies of signatures standing edgewise, each with a stop member or wall contacted by the first signature, conveying means for supporting and advancing along a path spaced from the hopper series a succession of accumulating signature groups standing edgewise, and a rotary drum and gripper means for extracting successive signatures laterally from each of the hoppers and transferring them edgewise and delivering them edgewise with advancing motion to the conveying means to build up traveling groups of unopened signatures.

15. A machine as in claim 14 and wherein the hollow drum has a peripheral slot, the gripper is pivoted inside the drum to swing out for gripping the signature against the periphery, and the timed swinging of the gripper is by a fixed cam, a follower on the drum engaging the cam, and multiplying gears between follower and gripper.

6. A machine as in claim 14 and wherein the extracting and transferring means comprises a drum carrying an extracting gripper with a cushioning spring in the gripper operating connections restricting the gripping pressure.

17. In a gathering machine a series of hoppers for holding supplies of signatures standing edgewise, conveying means for supporting and advancing a succession of accumulating signature goups standing edgewise, and means for extracting successive signatures from each of the hoppers and transferring them and delivering them to the conveying means, the extracting means comprising a rotary drum with a gripper, and means operating the gripper to grip each signature against the drum periphery for extraction and transfer, and auxiliary extraction means comprising suction ports in the drum periphery in such position in relation to the gripper as to assist holding the signature to the drum for extraction, and a suction chamber mounted in fixed position to provide suction for said ports while at extracting position.

18. A machine as in claim 17 and wherein the drum has a ported rim and the suction chamber is a recessed box in running engagement with the interior of such rim.

19. The method of signature gathering comprising stacking the signatures in edgewise posture in each of successive signature supplies, while adjacently advancing accumulating groups of signatures through the machine in edgewise posture, and, for each signature supply, detaching and extracting each first signature edgewise, maintaining it edgewise, and delivering it edgewise to the adjacently advancing edgewise group.

20. The method of claim 19 and wherein the extraction of each signature is by pulling laterally its upstanding edge followed by transfer from stack to group and delivery in advancing direction to the group.

21. The method of claim 19 and wherein the extraction of each signature is by pulling laterally its upstanding edge followed by transfer from stack to group and delivery in advancing direction to the group; with transfer travel around a half circle arc and advancing delivery in a direction opposite to that of extraction.

FREDERICK M. KRUEGER. 

